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A noted authority in health-care operations, strategy and policy, Wayne Osten has been appointed senior vice president and director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System (System or NYPHS). In this role he will direct System activities aimed at fostering quality patient care, research and educational initiatives among the more than 40 System member health-care facilities in the New York City metropolitan area.

Prior to joining NYPHS in 2005 as vice president for System development, Mr. Osten was director of the New York State Department of Health's Office of Health Systems Management, where he was responsible for the direction and oversight of health facility regulation in New York State.

"I am very pleased to officially welcome Wayne into this new role. He has already demonstrated the energy and ideas to promote quality care for the more than half a million patients treated every year at NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System facilities," says Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Healthcare System. "His deep knowledge of health-care policy in New York State and beyond will also greatly help us as we chart a course through the challenging waters of the current health-care environment."

"I look forward to continuing to work together with all System members and their communities in order to help them maintain their high standards and meet any challenges as they arise," says Mr. Osten, who was acting director of the System beginning last year.

"By fostering communication and collaboration between System members, the System has facilitated improved quality and compassionate care, as well as forged research and education opportunities through NewYork-Presbyterian's two major medical centers and affiliated medical schools," continued Mr. Osten.

These collaborations include sharing best practices and clinical expertise. One result: 17 System member hospitals in New York State recently received Stroke Center designation.

One of NYPHS's biggest successes has been its focus on quality, says Mr. Osten. The System sponsors one of the largest annual quality symposiums in the Northeast, with more than 320 health-care leaders from 80 institutions represented. Also this year, NYPHS will introduce an innovative new interactive data system called COQPIT (Comprehensive Organizational Quality and Performance Improvement Technology) that allows System hospitals to customize reports of clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction scores and other measures. "This advance puts us at the forefront in efforts to promote quality and safety," says Mr. Osten.

The System facilitates the sharing of best practices among System members through 21 clinical councils established to focus on quality and patient safety. NYPHS also maintains a database to share clinical research activities.

Another important priority for the System is disaster preparedness, says Mr. Osten. Member hospitals and the communities they serve profit from participating in a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan that includes mutual aid agreements for sharing resources during emergencies.

Finally, in terms of public policy outreach, Mr. Osten says, "we can play an important advocacy role – giving a voice to communities and System members by communicating with policymakers to support the continued ability of System member hospitals to provide high quality patient care."

Prior to joining the NYPHS, Mr. Osten served for more than 30 years with the New York State Health Department. He received a B.A. from Rider University of Lawrenceville, N.J., and an M.P.A. from the State University of New York at Albany Graduate School of Public Affairs.

Mr. Osten replaces Dr. Arthur Klein, who left NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System in 2006 to serve as senior vice president and chief physician officer at Lifespan health system of Rhode Island and associate dean for strategic and special projects at Brown Medical School.

NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System

The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System is a federation of top-quality hospitals, specialty institutes, and continuing care centers throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. System member institutions are committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective and conveniently accessible care. One in every four patients in the New York metropolitan area is treated by a System member institution. All System members are academic affiliates of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons or Weill Cornell Medical College. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP) and the other member institutions of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System (the System member institutions) are each operated by a separate not-for-profit corporation. Neither NYP nor NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, Inc. employs or supervises the medical staff of the System member institutions, is licensed to provide medical care to patients at any System member institution or operates any System member institution.